Are winter tires designed to maintain their properties over several years?
Our winters follow one another but are never the same. Let’s forget the beautiful white snow of our Christmas cards and lament finding treacherous ice patches, slush, or a mixture of everything garnished with a seasoning of freezing rain on the road.
Last year, Michelin asked us to test their X-Ice Snow winter tires in the electric vehicle version. (https://autosphere.ca/fr/pneus/2024/01/31/michelin-propose-le-x-ice-snow-pour-les-vehicules-electriques/) The X-Ice Snow has been on the market for several years, and its characteristics make it a popular product among EV drivers.
One year and nearly 10,000 kilometres later, these tires are facing a second winter. Installed a bit too close to the December 1st deadline, they were nevertheless ready for action during the first noteworthy snowfalls. Attentive to the electric vehicle’s behaviour under these new conditions, the author cannot detect any loss of traction or control on the surface compared to the previous winter. Moreover, the tire remains remarkably quiet on dry pavement, even at high speeds.
A festival of changing conditions
In fact, during one week, thanks to the climate pendulum, the tire alternately encountered snow, rain, and icy surfaces, particularly at intersections. The driver’s adaptation period was of utmost importance, as an electric vehicle’s motor torque must be measured to match the tire’s grip capacity to reduce wheel spin.
A driving error, stemming from learning to drive an electric vehicle in winter conditions, nearly sent the journalist spinning off course: using regenerative braking at its highest intensity is certainly not recommended at night on a winding, partially icy mountain road. The wheel lockup erased the ability to steer the car until the driver regained composure, deactivated regenerative braking, and regained control of the situation. Let’s blame his inexperience rather than the tires in this episode of loss of control.
On another expedition, during heavy snowfall, the car faced a long and steep climb while the road, lightly travelled, was covered with a good layer of snow. The EV’s front-wheel drive worked with determination, constantly activating traction control and significantly reducing forward speed to finally overcome the obstacle.
One cannot expect the impossible from a winter tire, whether new or returning after six months of storage. But Michelin’s X-Ice Snow did its job, ensuring the vehicle reached its destination safely, as long as the driver adjusted their driving style.
In short, once the proper measures were established for acceleration, braking, and negotiating turns, the driver felt the same sense of security as during the first winter of using these tires designed for our winters with changing moods.
We asked Russell Shepherd, Technical Communications Director at Michelin, to explain why the tire manufacturer emphasizes the durability of its product.
“At Michelin, we have always had the mission of manufacturing tires that deliver optimal performance regardless of the distance travelled. Michelin’s ‘Performance Made to Last’ concept involves continuously working to ensure our tires maintain their performance throughout their lifespan,” indicates Mr. Shepherd.
Evaluating braking distance
Braking distances are recognized throughout the industry as a good indicator for evaluating tire and car safety. However, these distances evolve with tread wear. For example, on wet or snow-covered roads, braking distances can increase with tread wear. Tread depth alone is not sufficient to indicate performance, so the only way to evaluate tire safety throughout their lifespan is to measure braking distances of worn tires on wet and snowy roads. “For example, the Michelin X-Ice Snow tire was tested and approved in Michelin’s Nordic testing centres under the most rigorous extreme winter driving conditions,” adds the expert.
With numerous tire ranges, Michelin designs and tests its products both new and worn. “These tests help us develop innovative compounds and tread designs that continue to deliver performance even as the tire wears.”
According to Mr. Shepherd, Michelin’s objective is to offer products that last longer, as a tire that remains in service longer optimizes the resources used in its manufacture.
Many EV drivers are indeed sensitive to this aspect of durability and resource preservation.